Leading Italian coffee brand, Lavazza, is continuing its long-standing partnership with Arsenal by uniting forces to support the local communities surrounding Emirates Stadium.
Lavazza and Arsenal aim to create new opportunities for young north Londoners through an initiative inspired by their shared commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
A Cup of Learning is a series of barista-training programmes designed to upskill young people, helping them find long-term employment opportunities.
This is a Lavazza Group programme developed in 2017 and it is now present in 12 countries around the world.
After a successful 2019 pilot, ‘A Cup of Learning’ re-launched in February this year and saw a group of young adults under the age of 25 from the North London community undertake a 2-week training course from Lavazza’s expert baristas.
Graduates of the programme also have the opportunity to take their barista exam which will bring them one step closer to a rewarding job in the industry.
Guided by two dedicated Lavazza training supervisors, participants learnt all the fundamental skills needed to become a barista, including steaming milk, creating latte art, and understanding the different blends of coffee beans. Participants also visited Emirates Stadium on a matchday to gain valuable insight into working in a fast-paced hospitality environment.
A Cup of Learning blends Arsenal’s own community initiatives - including its long-standing local employability programme which helps 84% of participants progress to employment or further opportunities - with Lavazza’s industry-leading hospitality expertise and training.
The initiative showcases the partnership’s dedication to helping young adults develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed in their search for employment in the years to come.
Lavazza and Arsenal are delighted to announce the extension of this programme for a further three years.
Globally, Lavazza Group have an ongoing aim to support communities through barista training programmes.
Mario Cerutti, Chief Institutional Relations and Sustainability Officer at Lavazza Group, said: “A Cup of Learning has been a pivotal global project for Lavazza Group for many years and we are proud to see it continue to resonate in the UK, thanks to the ongoing collaboration of Arsenal.
"We look forward to seeing this programme develop further and become a real growth opportunity for the members of the North London community”.
Arsenal in the Community Employability Officer, Jack Ferguson, added: “We are extremely proud of the participants that stuck with us throughout the pandemic and graduated the pilot A Cup of Learning programme.
"Arsenal in the Community has a long-standing commitment to supporting the needs of the local community and our employability programme plays a key role in that.
"It’s been brilliant to work with Lavazza on A Cup of Learning and we are delighted we can continue to work together to reduce the barriers young adults in North London are facing when attempting to enter this challenging job market.”
Since committing to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Lavazza Group has embarked on a journey to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals, into its activities and processes.
Lavazza’s initiatives with Arsenal demonstrate this commitment, specifically, raising awareness of Sustainable Development Goal number 8, which seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment opportunities for all.
These initiatives are just the start of Lavazza and Arsenal’s ongoing commitment towards developing projects that support all Sustainable Development Goals in the years to come.
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